Fresh Air Weekend: Tom Hanks, Ben Franklin's Sister, Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe tells Fresh Air that his parents were initially hesitant about letting him play Harry Potter.

Warwick Saint

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Originally published on October 12, 2013 9:51 am

Fresh Air Weekend highlights some of the best interviews and reviews from past weeks, and new program elements specially paced for weekends. Our weekend show emphasizes interviews with writers, filmmakers, actors, and musicians, and often includes excerpts from live in-studio concerts. This week:

Tom Hanks Is 'Captain Phillips' In High-Seas Hostage Drama: The film tells the true story of Richard Phillips, whose container ship was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009. Navy SEAL sharpshooters eventually freed the captain from the small lifeboat where he was held hostage for five days. Tom Hanks stars in the film, which is directed by Paul Greengrass.

Meet Ben's Sister Jane, History's Forgotten Franklin: For centuries, the memory of Jane Franklin has languished in brother Benjamin's shadow. While Ben is on currency and splashed across textbooks, Jane's life of curiosity and hardship has been forgotten. In Book of Ages, historian Jill Lepore draws a portrait of one of the American Revolution's "little women."

From Child Actor To Artist: Radcliffe Reflects On Post-Potter Life: Since wrapping up the last Harry Potter film, Daniel Radcliffe has taken on roles you may not have expected from the former boy wizard. He tells Fresh Air that starting his acting career so young gave him a sense of purpose he wasn't finding in the British school system, and he hasn't looked back since.